Results 8,761-8,780 of 11,255 for speaker:Colm Burke

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (7 Feb 2018)

Colm Burke: Can I ask about the overprescribing of drugs?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (7 Feb 2018)

Colm Burke: I did raise it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (7 Feb 2018)

Colm Burke: I raised a question on the overprescribing of drugs, which was not answered.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (7 Feb 2018)

Colm Burke: We have a problem in some geographical areas and there seems to be a reliance on some medication. In my own constituency, up to 20% of people are on antidepressants. What has the HSE put in place to deal with such issues?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (7 Feb 2018)

Colm Burke: What action is taken once the cause of the problem is established?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion (7 Feb 2018)

Colm Burke: That would be appreciated.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Feb 2018)

Colm Burke: I wish to raise an issue relating to an article in the Sunday Business Postover the weekend by Susan Mitchell about the over-prescribing and the major increase in the past ten years in the use of certain drugs. The number of people using one drug, Lyrica, has gone up from 54,981 to 652,013. That is more than a 1,086% increase. Use of another drug, OxyContin, an opiate, has gone up from...

Seanad: Emergency Department Waiting Times: Statements (31 Jan 2018)

Colm Burke: I welcome the Minister. I appreciate the work he is doing in the health care sector. It is a huge challenge given the large number of hospitals providing services. It is interesting to look at the figures. A total of 1.3 million people attend accident and emergency departments, which is 25,000 per week or 3,571 per day. Over 6,346 people per week are admitted to Irish hospitals through...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Section 39 Organisations: Discussion (31 Jan 2018)

Colm Burke: I thank all the organisations which are working in this area. There is a huge commitment by staff. In many cases it is quite a demanding job, and it is important that we recognise that. Many of the issues I want to raise have already been raised. My question concerns the operations of the HSE. Last year it took me six months to establish that the HSE had taken on an additional 2,000...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Section 39 Organisations: Discussion (31 Jan 2018)

Colm Burke: Is the figure 2,000?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Section 39 Organisations: Discussion (31 Jan 2018)

Colm Burke: Can I come back on this as I think it is important? There was a sudden increase of 2,000 people who were not front-line staff, whether or not they were agency staff. I have raised with the Minister and the Department the lack of accountability in this regard. It is a pity that the same pro rataincrease was not provided in section 39 staff when it could have been. Probably some 300 or 400...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Section 39 Organisations: Discussion (31 Jan 2018)

Colm Burke: I thank the witnesses for their presentations. I do not necessarily agree with my colleague. I believe they are setting out the facts as they are and I very much appreciate what they have set out here. I have one or two questions - I apologise in advance but I have to speak in the Seanad in a few minutes - on the €800 million, which is going to the section 39 organisations. We...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Section 39 Organisations: Discussion (31 Jan 2018)

Colm Burke: One section of the HSE had a significant increase in staff numbers, but there was no pro rataincrease in section 39 provision. I do not think that was taken into account in the planning process.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Section 39 Organisations: Discussion (31 Jan 2018)

Colm Burke: Over the past three years there was significant growth in administration and managerial staff in the HSE without anyone calling check on it and saying that we need to look after the people on the front line of section 39 organisations. Neither the Department nor the HSE looked at that issue which should not have arisen.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Section 39 Organisations: Discussion (31 Jan 2018)

Colm Burke: I have analysed the figures and do not accept that. The figures show that 2,000 additional staff were recruited and I do not accept that they ended up on the front line.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Section 39 Organisations: Discussion (31 Jan 2018)

Colm Burke: I have examined the figures for hospitals. The same approach to looking after front-line services in section 39 organisations was not taken in 2014, 2015 and 2016. My point is that if it had been taken on a pro rata basis, the current challenge in respect of section 39 organisations would not have arisen.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Section 39 Organisations: Discussion (31 Jan 2018)

Colm Burke: In the 2015 annual report 4,700 staff were categorised as managerial. However, the HSE subsequently changed the classification by removing grades 7 and 8 from the managerial category. The real figures I received in April show there are now 5,400 managerial staff in the HSE. Ms Mannion can give me all of the figures she likes. When questions were tabled on this issue, grade 7 and 8 staff...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Section 39 Organisations: Discussion (31 Jan 2018)

Colm Burke: I accept that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Section 39 Organisations: Discussion (31 Jan 2018)

Colm Burke: While I accept that, the section 39 organisations did not benefit from a pro rataincrease in funding. If they had been provided with a pro rataincrease, we would not have the current problem.

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Jan 2018)

Colm Burke: I want to raise an issue that has come into the public domain in the past few days. I refer to the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, being invited to carry out an investigation into an incident that took place in one of the maternity hospitals, which has now ended up in the courts. I want to raise concerns about the way we have dealt with some of the issues that relate to...